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Guitar amplifiers can also modify the instrument's tone by emphasizing or de-emphasizing certain frequencies, using equalizer controls, which function the same way as the bass and treble knobs on a home hi-fi stereo, and by adding electronic effects; distortion (also called "overdrive") and reverb are commonly available as built-in features. The input of modern guitar amplifiers is a 1/4" jack, which is fed a signal from an electro-magnetic pickup (from an electric guitar) or a piezoelectric pickup (usually from an acoustic guitar) using a patch cord, or a wireless transmitter. For electric guitar players, their choice of guitar amp and the settings they use on the amplifier are a key part of their signature tone or sound. Some guitar players are longtime users of a specific amp brand or model. Guitarists may also use external effects pedals to alter the sound of their tone before the signal reaches the amplifier.
Fender’s MIM (Made in Mexico) Stratocasters are offered as an affordable option, buyable at about half the rates of their American siblings. Moreover, you can also select your preferred one from among the maple and rosewood fingerboards, SSS or HSS pickup configuration, and color variations. You can also find several models available with Floyd Rose tremolo and pretty tops. For those requiring American Fenders, the American Original Series is available with all essential features.
We have arrived at the bottom of this extremely detailed buying guide and recommended guitar reviews. If you have made it here, congrats, you are officially a guitar know-it-all. Of course, the world of electric guitars is huge and there is still a lot to learn if you want to know more. But these are the basics. If you know these, you will be able to confidently pick the best electric guitars for yourself and be proud of it.
The key difference between an electric guitar and an acoustic is how they make a sound. Electrics use pickups and acoustics rely on a ‘soundboard’ a hollowed out body, and a sound hole to amplify the vibration of the strings. The most important difference though is what you want to sound like and what you prefer. A guitar that you want to pick up and play will always be one that makes you practice more – which is the only way to get better at guitar!
The SimulAnalog Guitar Suite is an old but still popular free guitar effects program. It contains a set of VST plugins that emulate some of the most common used guitar effects and amps. It has simulations of five essential guitar effects which include Boss DS-1, Boss SD-1, Tube Screamer, Oberheim PS-1 and Univox Univibe. The SimulAnalog Guitar Suite was born out of an academic research and thus applies a zero deception, no marketing hype approach. The interface is very basic but the sound is said to obtain lass than -40dB of difference compared to the original hardware.
The Gibson-owned Epiphone Company makes around 20 models of the Les Paul, most are similar copies of Gibson-made models, although when inspected closely, the Gibson originals are most often superior in craftsmanship and materials. Made in places outside the U.S., the Epiphone Les Pauls are made from more commonly available woods using less expensive foreign labor and have less hand detailing than the Gibson models, and, as a result, sell for a lower price. Epiphone Guitar Co. has been owned by Gibson Guitars since the 1950s. Once Gibson purchased Epiphone they quickly began making lower-quality guitars based on Gibson designs.[24]
Compared to an acoustic guitar, which has a hollow body, electric guitars make much less audible sound when their strings are plucked, so electric guitars are normally plugged into a guitar amplifier and speaker. When an electric guitar is played, string movement produces a signal by generating (i.e., inducing) a small electric current in the magnetic pickups, which are magnets wound with coils of very fine wire. The signal passes through the tone and volume circuits to the output jack, and through a cable to an amplifier.[22] The current induced is proportional to such factors as string density and the amount of movement over the pickups.
Power amps are rated in volts and generally come in .7V, 1V, and 1.25V. Most preamps don’t produce strong enough output to power a 1.25V. Most manufacturers don’t rate the average output of their preamp which makes things even harder in determining compatibility. What you can look for is the “line level“, “dBu”, or “dBv” information when researching this aspect of your acoustic electric guitar.
One of the most important things when choosing your guitar is of course the sound - read the study on electric guitar sounds. It’s best if you’re able to try different guitars out in a music shop, and the staff there will most likely be happy to present you with different options that are good for beginners. There you will also have the chance to see how the different guitars feel to play, and have the opportunity to ask the staff if you have any questions or need any advice.
First off, what makes the sound in an acoustic guitar? On both an acoustic and acoustic-electric guitar, you have the strings that create vibrations when plucked or strummed. That vibration reverberates across the span of the soundboard (top tonewood surface) and also travels down the strings to the saddle and bridge of the guitar. Those vibrations “move” air within the air cavity called the soundhole. The resonance created in the soundhole depends on its depth/size and the tonewoods used to make the back and sides of the guitar. Voila, you now have sound exiting through the soundhole of the guitar.

First we look at the design of the guitar: How does it look? What is the paintwork like? Any outstanding graphics or colors? What wood is the body, neck, and fretboard made from? How many frets are there and what size are they? What is the scale length? It’s also worth noting that the design is the most personal of all the ratings. For example, some people will love ESP’s eye-meltingly unique George Lynch Signature Kamakazi, while others will pretty much hate it. So the design ratings are very subjective!

No information beyond this debut is available. It’s also probable the Merson “Tempo” name was applied to other acoustic guitars. Merson instruments from this period do not appear to have been widely distributed, so they are probably a regional phenomenon, although they did get notice in The Music Trades, a major trade publication. Other instruments distributed by Merson in 1948 included Harmony, Kamico, Favilla, Temp and Supro electric guitars and stringed instruments; Covella, Fontanella and Galanti accordions; Tempo Bandmaster, Merson, Merson Ultratone, and Rudy Muck brass instruments; and Kohlert Thibouville, Freres, Penzel-Mueller, Barklee and Merson woodwinds.

I have been playing guitar for over 40 years and purchased Taylor's, Gibsons and Fenders as well as many others. This Godin company understands value and passes that along to its customers. Fine tone when played acoustic or threw an amp. The wood tone and workmanship are awesome for this or any price point. You will not be disappointed with this guitar, it is a great value.
In order to play your favorite song, you’ll need to learn guitar chords. Use the images and instructions below to learn how to play each chord. The ChordBuddy device can be used for assistance in knowing where to place your fingers In the images the circles represent where you will be placing your fingers (I=index, M=middle finger, R=ring finger, P=pinky). The X’s represent strings that you will not be strumming while the O represents strings that will be played without any frets.
An instrument unlike any other, the electric guitar gives musicians a feeling and hands-on experience that's nearly indescribable. Even with the same electric guitar, no two players sound exactly alike. Every nuance of the player's hands comes out in the electric guitar's tone, both in fretting and plucking the strings. The best players master not only command of the electric guitar, but also its interaction with their effects and amplifier. It's difficult to imagine a world without the combination of the electric guitar and amplifier, yet it's still relatively new in music. By the turn of the twentieth century, it only made sense that the popularity of the guitar would soon be combined with the onset of electronics. Over the past 75 years, the electric guitar has established itself as one of the most iconic, unforgettable instruments in the world. From jazz and big band to rock 'n' roll and funk, popular music would be drastically different today had it not been for the electric guitar.
My visit to NAMM showed me that we’d definitely find at least a couple of good beginner’s amps for less than $100, so we decided to make that our price ceiling for this test. That’s enough to buy an amp loud enough to play with a small combo, compact enough to fit easily into a small bedroom, and light enough for kids to carry. Beginners don’t need more than that. And when you consider that most people who take up a musical instrument don’t stick with it long, it’s wise to limit the expenditure until one really needs a larger or more fully featured amp.
George Delmetia Beauchamp is just as important as Leo Fender and Les Paul. His name may not ring a bell, but Beauchamp designed the first fully functional guitar pickup and secured a US patent for the electric guitar in 1937. The pickup, which converts string vibrations into amplifiable electrical signals, makes an electric guitar what it is; without one, there is no electric guitar. Beauchamp was also a founder of the popular Rickenbacker guitar brand alongside his friend and business partner Adolph Rickenbacker. Rickenbackers were often seen in use by both John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the era of the Beatles, also a go-to guitar for the classic rock sound of bands including the Who, the Eagles and Steppenwolf.
If we've learned anything from this experience, it's that Rocksmith 2014 will do everything it can to try and teach you how to play the guitar, and it's got an amazing array of tools and lessons to do just that. But just like taking lessons from an actual instructor, you have to be willing to put in the time and practice, Practice, PRACTICE, even if it's boring—there are no shortcuts to properly learning your craft. And no matter how many zombies I kill in Rocksmith 2014's Return to Castle Chordead, I'm not really learning chords; instead, I've just learned how to play a video game with a real guitar as the controller.
"We strive to offer our clients the highest level of service in guitar sales, repair and consulting. We will, as keys to attaining this objective, conduct our business according to a high standard of excellence. We are dedicated to earning our clients' trust through our professional conduct, our many years of experience, and our extensive preparation for their needs."

Some professional-grade amp heads, such as Ampeg's SVT400-PRO, have an audio crossover, an electronic filter that enables a bassist to split their bass signal into a low-pitched signal (which could be routed to a cabinet suited for low-pitched sounds, such as a 1x15" or 2x15" cabinet), and then send the middle and high-frequencies to a different cabinet suited to this register (e.g., a 2x10" or 4x10" cabinet with a horn-loaded tweeter). Amps with a crossover can either have a single crossover point pre-set at the factory (e.g., 100 Hz) or a knob is provided to enable the bassist to select the frequency where the bass signal is split into low and higher-pitched signal. The SVT400-PRO has a user-adjustable crossover knob. Amps with an adjustable crossover point can enable bassists to fine tune the sound of their bass sound. For example, in some halls, a bassist's usual crossover point may sound too "boomy" or rumbly; turning the crossover knob to send more of the low-pitched bass signal through the 2x10" cab may reduce this problem.

About 30 years ago, a fellow co-worker began teaching me how to play electric guitar. I believe it was an Aria Pro Strat. He had been playing for 20 plus years at this time and was a very good teacher, he owned a 1958 Les Paul. I have not played since he was in a car wreck in 1990 as he could not return to work. He was however able to continue to play, its just our schedules never allowed the time to take lessons. He passed away in 2011, and since I retired last year, I’d like to take up lessons. I found your article very helpful in selecting an electric guitar. It mentions a lot of things most people do not consider when buying.

As has already become apparent, the resonator instruments which made both the National and Dobro names in the late ’20s and ’30s were not the only effort underway to increase the volume of the guitar. The ampliphonics found immediate acceptance among Hawaiian players, notably Sol Hoopii, the very first to record with them when he used a prototype in his first session for Columbia on October 18, 1926. This was used on “Farewell Blues.” But they still didn’t satisfy the desire of orchestra guitarists to get out of the rhythm section. In addition to metal resonator cones, electricity was waiting in the wings, and National, Dobro and National Dobro would play a significant role, both directly and indirectly, in that ultimately triumphant development.

Your guitar is equipped with a volume knob – but that doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from a volume pedal. Very useful for various applications, the volume pedal can act – as you imagine – as a pure volume for your guitar signal (placed right before the amp) and also as a master volume if placed after your amp. By using a stereo volume pedal you can further expand the tonal possibilities of your setup. Ernie Ball makes a variety of volume pedals with different specifications (in order to match your guitar, amplifier or musical needs). Mooer offers a very compact and stylish pedal, the Expline – while Boss still sells to this day the FV-500-H, a pedal that passed the test of time and still performs amazingly well.
Here's another guitar many people feel is a great value. This Pacifica features an agathis body, maple neck, and rosewood fretboard, with two single coil pickups, and one humbucker. The consensus is the guitar is reasonably well made, and the quality of the wood tends to be high. Those who go on to become serious guitarists might want to consider upgrading the electronics of the Pacifica HSS.
To build an electric guitar, start by cutting out the guitar body from a piece of wood like maple or swamp ash. Then, bolt a pre-made neck onto the body and attach the bridge. Next, install the pick-ups, volume control, and guitar cord. Finish by putting your strings on the guitar and testing out your instrument. If you want to make the process easier, you could try purchasing an electric guitar kit.
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In the image above, the first higher peak we see is E4 (i.e. the low E-string on a guitar in standard tuning), the second peak is E5 (i.e. an octave higher) and the following high peaks are B5, E6, G#6, B6, D7, and so on. Remember that the test rigs only have two strings, both tuned to E, and plucked open. So what you are hearing is a mish-mash of tons of overtones that shape the character of the “tone” that you hear.
: Nor were Decca guitars made for or marketed to children. They were made at the same factory that made Teisco, Teisco del Rey, Kingston, Heit, Kawai and other brands of guitars. Some of these are quite decent beginner's instruments, and some are just flat out interesting/weird. No, they're not the same quality of a Gibson, Fender or Burns guitar from the same period, but they also cost a fraction of one of those guitars. And coincidentally, Fender guitars nowadays are largely made in Indonesia, China and Korea, places that *wish* they could make things as well as they can in Japan, so chew on that before you slag on Japanese-made guitars.
A closer look at a 1981 Gibson Victory MV-II electric guitar. The Gibson Victory MV, or 'Multi-Voice' guitars had very wide tonal palettes; with coil-tapped humbuckers they could produce typical Gibson tones, but were also designed to 'out-Fender' Fender. Two models were launched in the summer of 1981. Whilst the MVX, was designed to do everything a Stratocaster could do, the MVII was 'primarily for the discerning country player' - placing it squarely against the Telecaster.

If you’ve read our full reviewof the 50s Stratocaster, you’ll know that this Classic Vibe Stratocaster is an excellent prospect for any beginner who loves the good old days of rock n’ roll! Made by Squier, this 50s-inspired electric has huge vintage appeal, with a modern feel thanks to a trio of Alnico III single-coil pickups and a smooth, modern C-shaped maple neck (with 21 medium jumbo frets).

The most basic, original pickup design is a single-coil pickup. It’s composed of a single magnet with fine wire wrapped around it, creating a magnetic field that captures the strings’ vibrations converting them into an electronic signal. Single-coil pickups tend to be bright and crisp sounding. The tone they produce cuts through dense band sounds well, but they are also prone to generating hum and are subject to magnetic interference. Many great artists play guitars equipped with single-coil pickups. Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Merle Travis and many others are famous for their use of single-coil tone.
Compression: A "limiter" is envisioned as a circuit which prevents the output signal from exceeding a certain limit. If it did this by clipping, it would cause distortion, but if it can do it cleanly by just progressively reducing the amplification of the incoming signal, then it may properly be called a compressor. A compressor reduces the overall dynamic range by "compressing" the gain of high amplitude signals while maintaining the design gain for lower amplitude signals.

The x99 is as Soldano as an amp can get; its purple! The X99 (a step above the 3-channel X88) is a unique MIDI-controlled preamp, featuring Tim Caswell’s innovative system of real-time-controllable motorized knobs. Modeled after the SLO, the X99 has got the Soldano character that everyone’s grown to love. If you find one, let us know! Like most discontinued Soldano’s, the X99 is virtually impossible to track down.

“Most guitarists learn from records,” says Dr. Andre Millard, a professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, editor of The Electric Guitar: A History of an American Icon. “That’s how you learn to play. We learn from the classic records. And those classic records have that classic tone, which is ’58 to ’63.” And quite frequently, Millard points out, the studio had as much an impact on those recordings as anything else. He uses the Rolling Stone’s debut, England’s Newest Hit Makers which was released on London Records in 1964, as an example.
But there are more questions – are you a beginner, or do you have 20 years playing experience under your belt? Are you on a tight budget, or is money no object? Do you prefer funk, or are you a full-on metalhead? Somewhere the perfect guitar is waiting for you, and – with hundreds of reviews on this site – chances are we have featured it on these pages!
Just ask any savvy stompbox builder or low-tuned 7-string player: Sometimes the best way to add power to your low tones is to remove a bit of bass. That’s because the lowest frequencies in your signal disproportionately overdrive your amp and effects. Siphoning off just a bit of bass can add clarity and focus. At extreme settings, the filtering can produce sharp, squawking tones akin to those of a ’60s treble booster pedal (not a bad thing). If you’ve ever grappled with high-gain tones that make your amp fart out, here’s your flatulence remedy.

Before you start thinking your pickups can kill you, bear in mind this is a very small signal (2 volts) that requires amplification (this is where your aptly named guitar ‘amplifier’ comes into play). To put things in perspective, the little rectangle shaped batteries (D) found in distortion pedals are 9 volts…as mentioned it’s a very small signal.

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Read Full Review If you’re looking for a lightweight guitar aside from a Stratocaster. You prefer the quality of tone produced using humbuckers than a single-coil can deliver. This SG model from Epiphone meets that requirements on the overall sound, playabilty and price that fits the under two hundred dollar budget of a beginner. As well as for seasoned players looking at the market for an affordable studio or back-up guitar to bring on stage.
ESP is notable for using active pickups — as opposed to the nearly universal use of passive pickups. Active pickups make use of internal amplification inside the guitar, so that the pickups produce a hotter, louder, and richer sound. The concept is very effective, however it requires the incorporation of a 9V power supply inside the guitar. This can be a great inconvenience if the battery dies and the guitar is not playable.
All the effects that were created up through the early 1980s were based on analog circuitry. That is, they operated by directly modifying an actual sound signal. Starting in the ‘80s, the digital revolution invaded the realm of guitar and bass effects with digital signal processing. Digital effects convert the instrument’s output to a digital bitstream that is then modified by digital circuitry before being translated back to analog sound signals for output. The first digital effects were all modeled on existing effects, but devices that followed such as pitch-shifting effects, delays, and harmony processors only became practical with the advent of digital signal manipulation.
Soundwise, it still packs the same AudioDNA2 processor but somehow sounds 'better', I think John Johnson (founder of Digitech before it was sold to Harman re-hired to work on this RP) had a lot to do with the improvements. I think they have made this with it being used/abused in mind, from the rigid metal chasis, to the USB connectivity, line-in jack to play along backing tracks, headphone input, stereo out, built-in looper (40 seconds) and the awesome Stompbox and SoundCheck features.
If you are a beginner, you may have heard of electro-acoustic models. In the future you may want to consider one of these, as they will allow you to plug into an amplifier and project your sound across a room, concert hall or stadium (well, you have to dream big!). However, for now it’s wise to stick with a solely acoustic model, which will be cheaper and less complicated to use.
I consider Squier and Epiphone to be the two top brands beginners should be looking at for their first guitar. However, there are some key differences when it comes to their flagship instrumets. Where the Epiphones listed above have a pair of humbucking pickups, the Squier Stratocaster has a trio of single coils, and the Telecaster a pair of single coils.
Maybe the most well known amplifier released under the Peavey name, the 5150 is the result of a collaboration between Peavey and Eddie Van Halen. Debuting in 1992, the 120-watt, all-tube, two-channel head featured a searing lead channel that helped usher in a new wave of high-gain guitar ferocity in the early Nineties. Since Van Halen and Peavey parted ways in 2004, the model name was changed to the Peavey 6505 and has become an industry standard for modern metal bands such as Chimaira, August Burns Red, All That Remains and others.
To be able to buy a name brand guitar like this at such a great price was a real steal. One of my sons is a beginner learning to play, so it was great for me being able to purchase a guitar like this that would carry him from beginner into an intermediate player in later years. It is a well-made and beautiful guitar, and it produces a wonderful sound that you would expect from a name like Fender. Plus, with my son being left-handed, I thought it would be difficult to find a good affordable left-handed guitar for him. Not only was able to find this high quality one, but the price couldn't be beat.
"This axe is no slave to the past, however, starting with Leo’s PTB™ (Passive Treble and Bass) system which functions on all three pickups for dramatically more variety than the vintage setup. What’s more, the Legacy features a Leo Fender-designed Dual-Fulcrum vibrato, a work of engineering art which allows bending up or down with unsurpassed stability, while offering a silky feel through its beefy aluminum vibrato arm. The Legacy’s hard-rock maple neck features an easy-playing satin finish, comfortable 9 1/2″ radius and Jescar 57110 medium-jumbo nickel-silver frets for silky playability. The moment you open the luxurious hardshell case, you’ll be greeted with a stunning instrument and delicious aroma that’ll have your pulse racing."
In terms of sounds, jazz requires a balance of warmth and clarity. While many solid body guitars can do an approximation of a jazz sound using a clean tone played through the neck pickup, in reality a dedicated jazz guitar will offer this particular sound without becoming overly woolly when lines are played at any speed. Let’s take a look at our pick of the 5 best jazz guitars.

Use a lead to connect the row that the positive (anode) leg of the input cap C1 is on to the row that the base (middle leg) of the transistor Q1 is on. Use a second lead to connect the emitter row (left hand leg) to the ground bus. Finally, use a lead from the collector (right hand leg) row to a new row on the other side of the breadboard, near the power bus.

Compressor sometimes sounds good after distortion too, it helps with noise (compressors can be noisy and if put before overdrive then the distortion pedal makes the noise louder). Placing the compressor after distortion also increases your sustain (depending on the type and amount of distortion used!). It can sound darker if placed after as well - so it really is down to your ears and what you think sounds best! But I have mine first in the chain, before Fuzz as I don't often (ever?) use them together
The Legacy’s vintage-spec CLF-100 Alnico V pickups have that unmistakable chime and quack reminiscent of the best examples from the late ‘50s, thanks to the work of Paul Gagon, G&L VP Engineering. Gagon found his inspiration reviewing original prints stored in Leo’s private laboratory at G&L, but that was just the start. About 30 years ago, Gagon was an R&D engineer at another company when he was tasked with finding out what was so special about the early bolt-on guitars many players raved about. Gagon tirelessly analyzed many examples of what were considered holy grail guitars, spending time out on the shop floor talking to builders still working in the pickup department since the ‘50s, all on a quest to discover where the real mojo was – and wasn’t. What he learned from the builders matched his own engineering analysis. You see, back in the day, the actual spec of pickups coming that down that old production line varied considerably. That meant coming up with the right specs for the Legacy pickups was more challenging than simply following the prints. Gagon’s persistence paid off as the Legacy garnered rave reviews from both players and magazines like Guitar Player and Guitar World.
Like Kleenex for tissues or Dumpster for large garbage containers, the brand Teisco has become a kind of shorthand for “strange looking Japanese guitar from the 1960s.” When someone posts a picture on a forum of a vintage Japanese guitar that he’s trying to identify, five people will immediately shout out “Teisco!” Occasionally, they’re even right.
The body of the PRS SE Standard 24 is made of mahogany and features a tobacco sunburst finish, vintage cherry, or translucent blue finish. Compared to most other body styles, this one is a lot more comfortable to play even though mahogany isn't the lightest tonewood out there. The balance offsets any weight issues. The neck is a maple piece that comes with a standard rosewood fretboard and PRS classic bird inlays. The pickups PRS chose for this build are their S2 HFS Treble and S2 HFS Vintage Bass units. Their performance and color are pretty unique when compared to other designs out there. Looking at the hardware, we see a PRS S2 tremolo bridge on one end, while the headstock houses a set of PRS S2 locking tuners. Combined, these two components give you the ability to achieve great tremolo effects without losing intonation or tuning.
Some big ideas there Mike! Not too sure about copper wire being magnetised though, last time I checked that was only ferrous materials… As for grounding, you should check out the “star-grounding” scheme described over at GuitarNuts: http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/shield3.php Some great info on that site, you should have a browse around!

Fender instruments like the Stratocaster and Telecaster feature bolt-on necks and brighter tonewoods such as alder for the body and maple for the neck. They are easy to work on, and an owner with even a small degree of technical knowledge can fit replacement parts without professional assistance. Fender guitars are built to a 25.5-inch scale length, which lends to their brighter, more percussive tone. You’re more likely to see tremolo systems on this type of guitar, and hot-rodded guitars known as superstrats fall into this category.

I had an Epi G400, MIK, I found for $175 used, in a pawn. It was decent enough enough but I found the pickups (humbuckers) a bit muddy. I subsequently picked up a Valkyrie II on closeout when they changed over to the current Valkyrie shape, for $99 + shipping. It played just as good but I was able to get one with P-90's, not available on the Epi. I preferred the P-90's and sold the Epi G400. I still have the Valkyrie:
Enter exhibit A: A late 60’s KENT short scale variation on the very popular (then and now) “Beatle” violin shaped bass. As you can see from the photos, this isn’t your average violin bass. While many, from the classic Hofner that Paul McCartney turned a few kids on to, to the Teisco and Black Jack Japanese models, didn’t stray far from the violin shape, this Kent takes a few attractive and stylish liberties with the standard template.
Place one mic on each speaker at the same distance and orientation, and check the pair for phase cancellation by panning them to the same spot and listening in mono. The minute differences between the speakers, mics, and mic positions, combined with double-tracking, creates a monstrous presence when the tracks are hard-panned in the mix, and opens up a world of possibilities for separate EQ and effects processing. If you don't need the guitar to dominate the mix, you also can sum these mono-compatible tracks together to a single pan position for a noticeably bigger sound.
Some emulator designs include switchable filters, enabling them to simulate open or closed-backed speaker cabinets, and can come very close to the sound of a close-miked amp, while ambience can be simulated using a reverb processor or plug-in. Even if the amp has a good spring reverb, a little additional digital ambience (mainly early reflections) will help create the illusion of the amplifier being recorded in a room.
Here is a list of the schematics that are exclusive to this site. We created several and we have redrawn some schematics that were already available on the internet for readability or ease of use (these needed an easier-to-read format, corrections or part identifiers). Many of these schematics include “modernization” that are included and explained in the “Project” for the given schematic. You may freely post links to any of the pages or files on this site, but please do not put copies of these files on your site. We frequently update our files. If you want to see photos of the original units of any of these guitar effects see our “Originals” board on Pintrest Note: All Trademarks mentioned here belong to their owners and not to General Guitar Gadgets

Next up in your signal path comes the trusty gain pedal, or two or three even. These effects will pass your signal through a transistor or diode to produce the clipping sound of a tube amplifier cranked up loud. They can go from subtle drive of a loud Fender to the high gain insanity of a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier. Most players call these effects distortion pedals, but there are different varieties of distortion that produce distinctly unique tones, all driven by the amount of gain you push.

Using, or not using, some piece of gear doesn’t make a player more genuine, harder, tougher, more real, more natural, or better than players who do. What does make people those things is the honest pursuit of their art, the skills and experience earned from practice and performing, their genuine expression, feeling, and the ability to play something that has an effect on the listener. All of this is MUCH more difficult and real than simply choosing not to use a piece of gear.
If there is one body shape out there that everyone will recognize, it is this one. In terms of finish, Fender chose a lacquer clear coat to show off the natural wood instead of their usual choice, and it looks pretty awesome (of course there's a 3 tone sunburst and olympic white too). Made of ash, this particular Strat offers a U-shaped maple neck with a maple fretboard that is bolted onto the body. In terms of pickups, we have a set of three single coils belonging to their vintage line. These come with Alnico magnets, giving you that classic tone we all love so much. The hardware follows the canon as well. Here we have Fender's well known synchronized tremolo bridge paired with a set of F tuners on the headstock.
There was a band in Manchester called Sister Ray, who were just this scary bunch of men/reprobates. I guess word had got around that I had a knack and was a useful little guy to have around, and you only have to buy me some Coca-Cola and I was good to go. So I played with them. I started playing my first sort of shows in front of real [crowds] when I was fourteen.
I have one of these and what I like about this guitar are the little touches. The arch top and binding helps set it apart from other guitars around this pricepoint, as does the black chrome hardware. Schecters are enormously comfortable guitars to play and their finish work is excellent. This is a lot of guitar for the money, but you can upgrade twice within $500 with the Omen Extreme-6 and the Omen Extreme-6 FR, depending on your needs. After owning mine for a few years, I tossed a couple of Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups in it to give it a serious upgrade and more longevity.

Offers include 20% British VAT and are valid as long as stocks last. Shipping costs to the U.K. are 10 EUR (approx. £7), free shipping on orders above 149 EUR. Please click here for international Shipping Costs and Delivery Times. We do not accept liability for typographical errors or inaccurate information of any kind. *RRP = manufacturer's / distributor's recommended retail price in Germany

Regardless of their investment potential or merit compared to Martins, Fenders and Gibsons, the fact remains that clean original Harmony and Kay guitars as well as some of the other interesting student-grade instruments of the 1960s and earlier are quite rare today. Since they were prone to structural problems, many were simply thrown away rather than being repaired. Due to the lack of good repairmen prior to the mid 1970s, attempts to repair such instruments were often as bad or worse than the original problems, further adding to the destruction. Since most of these instruments cost much less than a Martin, Gibson or Fender when new, owners often felt much less of an incentive to take good care of them. Back in the mid 1960s when I was starting out, I saw far more people playing Harmonys, Kays and Danelectos than Martins, Fenders and Gibsons, but for a variety of reasons most of these student instruments have not survived, so that today it is actually a rare occurrence for me to find an original Harmony Sovereign or a good Kay archtop in playable or good cosmetic and structural condition.
Every electric guitar has a series of electronics that give the guitar its unique sound. Fender guitars signature sound comes from their five-way switches and single coil pickups where as Gibson Les Pauls comes from their three way selectors, multiple tone knobs, and humbucker pickups. Many other aspects of electric guitars affect the tonal qualities of the instrument, but the electronics cannot be overlooked. In this article, I will talk about different electronics in electric guitars as well as some common repairs. For more information about electric guitar pickups, see the electric guitar pickup page.
Each option has a unique tonal quality, some may not seem all that useful in some situations. 2 adjacent pickups that are out of phase, can sound very tinny and weak but often cut through better in the mix as they occupy a different placement in the spectrum. Consider Brian May's (Queen) tone as some of his selections rely on 2 single coil pickups being out of phase

“It had ‘Walking the Dog,’ ‘Route 66,’ and others on it,” Millard says. “That has tone. The reason it has tone is that it was made in the worst damn studio possible. Everyone who worked there said this was a shithole. There was no sound separation, they used lousy mics, they never cleaned it. Andrew Loog Oldham, who was the manager at that point, said that was the key to the sound.”

For the most part, you might want to get a preamp that has at least some type of EQ on it. Tone shaping on an acoustic electric guitar can really give you an edge or at least a semblance of control before the sound guy butchers it during your gig, although you can do this with an effects pedal. Even though this is something that takes the time to learn, it's better to have the option readily available when you decide to step up to that level.

Hi - I am looking for a new amp for small to medium venues. I quite fancied the Marshall Mini Silver Jubilee combo, but then noticed several companies selling JVM 50 watt combos in the same price range. It seems that the JVM's are a Swiss Army knife whereas the MSJ seems to be capturing a small version of a classic amp and is more of a one trick pony . Any way you could help me make the right decision. On the other hand , how reliable are the JVM's considering their sophistication?

NOTE: In these diagrams, the volume and tone controls are viewed from the rear. The volume and tone controls are variable resistors, also known as potentiometers (or "pots" for short). In electric guitars, the values for either of these usually is about 250K to 1 megohm. The capacitor in the circuit is for the tone control and these values usually are from .02 to .047 mfd (short for microfarad).

The top of the guitar has the greatest impact on the tone quality of the instrument. The sound generated by the guitar's strings is transmitted by the bridge to the top where it is amplified. As discussed below under Tonewoods, the wood used for the top strongly influences the tonal characteristics of the guitar. The sound generated by the guitar's strings is transmitted by the bridge to the top where it is amplified. That is why, as mentioned above, the larger the soundboard, the larger the sound.

As cool as these little amps are, they only have a fraction of the features you’ll find in their larger, more powerful big brothers. But, they are more than enough for a newbie to get started on, and they meet and exceed the criteria I outlined in the beginning as what to look for in a good starter amp: They sound good, they are flexible with good overdrive, multiple channels, solid EQ sections and some even have built-in effects.
The PRS SE Standard 24 is one of the stand outs in this line, a straightforward dual humbucker guitar with the same attention to detail as more expensive PRS instruments. It starts off with a mahogany body that is elegantly carved double cutaway shape that PRS has made their own, paired with a 25" scale length mahogany neck. The 24-fret rosewood fingerboard has a slightly wider nut width of 1.6875", while PRS' distinctive bird inlays serve as fret markers. Other features include PRS-Designed Vintage humbucker on the neck and PRS-Designed HFS humbucker on the bridge, both of which are wired to a volume and tone knob, as well as a 3-way pickup selector.
In the world of amplifiers, there are amp stacks and combo amps. For beginners, a combo amp is usually the way to go, since they combine the amp circuitry and the speaker together into one unit. Check out models like the Marshall MG Series MG30CFX 30W 1x10 Guitar Combo Amp and the Fender RUMBLE 25 1x8 25 W Bass Combo Amp for a few examples of this type. For the biggest professional setups, on the other hand, a combo amp may not be quite beefy enough. That's where stacks come in, based on a head (such as the Peavey 6505+ 120W Guitar Amp Head) paired up with a speaker cabinet. You can even find some pre-made amp stacks here, like the Line 6 Spider IV HD150 150W and 4x12 Guitar Half Stack, to save you the legwork of shopping for both parts separately.

We are your Vintage Pickup specialists. We have cornered the market of manufacturing the most accurate vintage pickup reproductions to which can not be equaled. Our process is to chemically analyze an original pickup magnets and wire, then we reproduce them with the exact same magnets and wire. We don't use stock magnets or wire. We don't degauss magnets and say they are vintage. Our magnets are only as strong as the elemental composition will hold. Our wire is specially manufactured for us, we have many batches of wire with all different types of resistances and O.D.'s. Our wire also is processed differently than modern conventional wire, these little details are what makes the Klein Pickups Reproductions the most accurate in the world. We have a full array of models that we reproduce. Check out our site for the full list of all of our offerings. As a small business we always appreciate your business & support. -Thanks

The pre-1945 braces have a scooped or "scalloped" profile, making them lighter in design and weight. Functionally this means a greater vibrating surface (the guitar's top), and provides stronger bass response. Why did the Martin Company change from the lighter scalloped braces to heavier braces? The answer is in the strings. Many guitarists of that time were using heavier gauge strings, and these heavier strings were tough on the lightly constructed scalloped-braced Martins (especially on D-models with the long 25.4" scale). Martin didn't make a heavier guitar to withstand the extra string tension, so they compensated by adding more rigid (non-scalloped) braces to the guitar's top.
With a neck made of mahogany and a body of maple, the Ibanez Artcore AF75 is one of the best hollow body electric guitars included on this list. Due to its hollow body design, this guitar has the ability to play well in all genres, ranging from country to hard rock, and is known for its high-quality tone and ability to maintain tune through long periods of playing. This is possible in part due to the pickups at the neck and bridge, reducing excess humming for clarity in tone and pitch. The knobs at the base of the body have a super-grip design, making it easy to change the volume and tone between the neck and the bridge and utilize the three pickup selector. A pearl block inlay is included on the rosewood fretboard, making this 20 fret electric guitar a strong option to conclude this list.

Reverb creates a sense of space, but it also increases the perception of distance. If you need something to appear at the front of a mix, a short, bright reverb may be more appropriate than a long, warm reverb, which will have the effect of pushing the sound into the background. If you need to make the reverb sound 'bigger', a pre-delay (a gap between the dry and wet signals) of up to 120ms can help to do this without pushing the sound too far back, or obscuring it.

In more recent years, a diverse cross-section of artists have started to favour Rickenbacker guitars. In 1979, Tom Petty and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers would adopt the Rickenbacker 12-string “toaster” jangle into their records and still use the vintage 1960s models. The post-1960s “Hi-gain” pickup-equipped guitars are associated with The Jam and REM. The “Hi-gain” pickups are well suited to harder spiky pop/rock sounds as well as the classic clean chime.
The Ring Resonator Deluxe is like having two all analog pedals in one. It contains the octave-up fuzz effect of the original Ring Resonator with added LED, push-push output pot and mini-toggle switch. With the push-push output pot down, the octave-up effect is removed and fuzz-only is achieved. In the fuzz-only mode of operation the toggle switch allows you to switch between dark fuzz and bright fuzz tones.
This is our top pick for the best dreadnought guitar under $500. It has the looks of something you’d see in a honky tonk bar. It is a really cool looking acoustic guitar. It is a classic with it’s sunburst color and decorated hummingbird pick guard. It is the more affordable version of the Gibson Hummingbird. It has a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. It also has a pickup so you can amplify it for gigs. Owners describe it as having a big sound with great playability. Nice low action will make playing much easier. The tapered neck is great for beginners and makes forming chords less difficult. See more pictures of this guitar here.
A distortion box produces what we call hard clipping, as opposed to an overdrive pedal that produces soft clipping. What does that mean? If we were to look at a note on an oscilloscope we would see a wave (hence the term sound wave) with a nice rounded top and bottom. When we overdrive or distort a note the top and bottom of the sound wave flattens out, or clips. The more clipping of the wave the more distorted the note. A fuzz pedal produces so much clipping it is seen as a square wave, completely flat on the top and bottom of the wave. There are many excellent distortion boxes on the market but some classic industry standards are the Rat distortion box, the Boss Super Overdrive (a bit more of a distortion box really), MXR Distortion +, Boss Distortion, and the Boss Heavy Metal Pedal.

I want to focus on acoustic guitar but some electric is alright. Mainly I want to build up a repertoire of songs that MOST people will know if heard and be able to sing a long. Currently I know very few songs such as this but I have been playing off and on for years. Any really popular (old or newish is fine) songs that are not impossible to play would be great. Thanks!

In order to trigger these notes, a MIDI guitar controller is needed. Alot of work just to recreate what you can do on a real guitar. The only advantage to this technique, is the ability to take a MIDI track, creating this way, and substitute different guitar models to audition what might sound best. Also, the MIDI guitar track can also serve as an educational tool and how a part is performed.

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For example, in the guitar (like other stringed instruments but unlike the piano), open-string notes are not fretted and so require less hand-motion. Thus chords that contain open notes are more easily played and hence more frequently played in popular music, such as folk music. Many of the most popular tunings—standard tuning, open tunings, and new standard tuning—are rich in the open notes used by popular chords. Open tunings allow major triads to be played by barring one fret with only one finger, using the finger like a capo. On guitars without a zeroth fret (after the nut), the intonation of an open note may differ from then note when fretted on other strings; consequently, on some guitars, the sound of an open note may be inferior to that of a fretted note.[37]
Paul Gray (b. 1972 d. 2010) swapped his longtime association with Warwick basses for a customized version of the ATK bass series, the PGB1. He was impressed with the ATK bass after he bought one from a pawn shop and told Ibanez that he would endorse them if they put the ATK series back into production. He switched to his signature model shortly before recording of the Slipknot album All Hope Is Gone and used them until his death in 2010.
The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most iconic electric guitars in music history, and its equally distinctive sound is down to its selection of pickups. Although you’ll occasionally find a humbucker, traditionally a Strat will feature three single-coils – one each at the bridge, middle, and neck positions. They offer that sweet, bright, chiming single-coil sound that’s perfect for all styles of soulful music – from blues and country, to classic rock – and are perfect for lead guitarists, as they slice through even the densest mix. There are some excellent Stratocaster pickup sets around, although be sure to check out the Lace Sensor Blue-Silver-Red set on our chart for something with a little extra edge.
This is where the roads came back together. Kaman continued to play guitar during his building of the helicopter business. He kept his guitars hanging on the wall, instead of in the case, so he could grab one if he felt like playing. As a result he ended up with lots of cracked backs, including one on a favorite Martin. Charles traveled down to Nazareth to get the guitar repaired and Fred Martin gave him a factory tour.
They have the same basic principles, but most people start on acoustics. This is because they are more difficult to play, but you build up your finger strength and calluses (tough lumps of skin on the end of your fingers; you'll need them!) much faster. But the acoustic guitar is limited. If you feel an electric guitar is the way you want to go, then by all means get one. Just because most beginners have acoustics doesn't mean you have to. The best thing to do would be to go to your local guitar shop, tell them your budget, and see what they have to offer. You can get starter packs which come with a guitar and an amplifier but you may be better off looking at some cheap electric guitar models at your local shop, as the starter packs can be really inconsistent. Good luck, my man

Humbuckers use two magnets, one which works as a pickup and one which cancels out 60-cycle hum (hence the name humbucker). These pickups generally have a darker voice and a higher output, which allows them to perform better under high levels of distortion. These pickups also tend to sound better playing jazz, as the genre benefits from the darker voice these pickups provide.

Classical Guitar The classical guitar is a variation of the Spanish Guitar, from its construction, size, weight, wood and the sound it produces. Classical guitars have six nylon strings, rather than metal strings used in other acoustic guitars. The shape, construction, and material of classical guitars vary, but typically they have a modern classical guitar shape, or historic classical guitar shape (e.g., early romantic guitars from France and Italy). Classical guitars are also typically played with the fingers rather than a pick (as steel-string acoustic guitars are often played).
Frets & Necks did an AMAZING job on my RG7421. They installed my BKP Black Hawk p/u's and new tone/volume pots. Frets & Necks service was above and beyond, fast and super knowledgeable. I am very pick...y about who works on my guitars, I am beyond pleased that I chose Frets& Necks to work on my RG. I will be bringing my RG7421 back to Frets & Necks for future upgrades very soon. Be good to yourself and treat your guitar, give Frets & Necks a try. You won't be disappointed. Thank you F&N. See More

The original Owner purchased this guitar new at Ideal Music in Atlanta and loved her for the last 50 years. Vintage 1967 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Nashville model,factory bigsby replaced "kill switch" tip (the white one) I have an original tip now, to lazy to take new pictures...and reproduction armature inside body for string mute / Muffler system...SEE MORE HERE...

I’m not a very good guitarist. In fact, some people would probably say I’m really awful. And that’s ok. But I’ve owned guitars. I can play a G chord. I can fumble my way through some 3-chord punk, alternative rock songs and a Beatles tune here and there. At the very least, I know a tiny bit about guitars and things. For example, I wouldn’t confuse a drum kit with a guitar, so score points for me there.
The Old Standby is another model beloved by generations of harmonica players. Up until the 1990s, this model was a quality instrument made in Germany on a wood comb. Where the Marine Band was the choice of blues players, many country music players such as Charlie McCoy preferred the Old Standby. In the 1990s, Hohner began manufacturing this model in China on a plastic comb with a significant decrease in quality. Among harmonica fans the downgrade remains unpopular.[26]
The final spot in our top 5 list goes to the DigiTech RP500, the second-largest of the DigiTech RP line of multi-effects pedals, but definitely the most popular out of the lineup. Like Boss and Line 6, DigiTech is no stranger to making very good guitar effects. Their parent company Harman also owns Lexicon, famed for their top-of-the-line reverb sounds, which DigiTech very much benefits from. The DigiTech RP500 is a multi-effect unit with amp modeling, a looper, USB connection, and an onboard expression pedal. Out of the 5 pedals on this list, it draws the most comparisons to the Zoom G3X and the Boss ME-80 (both in terms of price and features). Throughout this review we’ll make sure to cover how it stacks up against those.
Which brings us to this 1985 DT-250. While it sports the tail notch, the shape is a little more sleek and diminutive than the comparable Dean ML. The lower front bout is extended to be almost symmetrical with the diagonally opposite bass wing. The treble-side lower bout is shortened, giving the whole guitar a tasteful offset-X shape… X Series. To add dimension to the shape, Fuji Gen Gakki added “crystal cuts” to the edges, basically code for angled bevels.
You don’t have a single Guild in your list, but you have Washburns that totally lack any sort of bass response. In fact, I’ve never understood how Washburn could take perfectly good materials like sitka spruce and mahogany, and produce such inferior guitars. You list the Fender fa-100 and stratacoustic, both firewood as far as I’m concerned, but don’t list the outstanding Alvarez AD60 and AD70, two amazing sounding guitars for the money. The Hohner and Oscar Schmidt OG2 are beginner guitars, but I know a lot of people with Yamaha FG800 and FG830 guitars who would be very offended by you saying one of their favorite guitars is for beginners. They are serious instruments, even if they only carry a sub-$300 price tag. They are certainly better sounding than that Taylor Big Baby thing, which I was shocked to hear at GC. Talk about over-rated. But you did get many things right. You gave the Blueridge d160 high marks, though I think the D140 should have been up there, too. Good to see that you gave the FG800 such high marks, but I actually like the FS800 a little better. It’s easier to play and better for fingerpicking. The Ami, Jim Dandy, and Recording King are all over-rated and over-priced. You need to take the Washburns down and put up the Guild M-120, D-120, and D-150. The D-150 may be the best guitar you can buy for under a grand.
Like 39% of the people said, they are simply the worst. The first guitar I owned was the Ibanez Gio, I thought it was amazing. I play it every now and then, but not too much anymore. For its price, I think it is the best starter guitar, 10 times better than any first act. I owned a first act, it was the worst guitar of all time. Me finger killed after playing it because the strings are so hard to push down, the frets don't even stay attached to the guitar. All beginner guitarist, don't get first act.
Prince at #10 just shows me that whoever made this list hasn't seen him play that often. And really, KR doesn't even need to be on the top 10. JH is way overrated, yes on the list, but NOT #1. But anyways, cool to see Prince even on the list. Those stupid people writing those comments are probably the ones that say "Prince plays guitar?" They are so living in a box!
If you are familiar with - a special kind of - programming, you can use something like Pure Data or Max MSP. Pure Data (PD), for example, is an open source, visual programming environment for manipulating streams of data like audio (or video). With PD you are able to build your own individual FX chains or use community contributed patches (In PD speech "programs" are called patches). But I think it's not as trivial to use as out of the box products.
Dimebag Darrell first discovered this guitar master while he was working in a club in Colleen, Texas. King was 17 and Darrell was 15. "They played and blew me away," King says. So he asked if the aspiring guitar legend needed help breaking down his guitar. It was the beginning of a working friendship that lasted until Dime's untimely death in 2004. Learning from another guitar master, Walt Treichler of Rotting Corpse, is what put this guy at the top of the extended family's list for repair answers. He also studied with Floyd Rose at a guitar show, learning everything there is to know about the Floyd Rose tremolo. "There's nothing better than the original thing Floyd came up with," he says. King is the kind of guitar doctor who makes house calls; but he's not accepting any new clients unless you're part of his extended family of musicians. "If I know 'em, and they need work on their guitar, I'll help 'em out."
There are many answers to your question like Jakedog mentioned. As far as finding a neck that is easy to play on, you'd be wise to go to a guitar shop and grab several different models of various brands and find what fits in your hand, yet allows full control over the fretting with your fingers. Smaller hands seem to like soft v shaped necks, yet I know several people with stubby little claws who play only boat necks...meaning huge round chuncky necks. I'm referring to the back of the neck in this case.
I'm sorry to disagree Merlin, but the woods used really do make a big difference to the sound of a solid body guitar. Both the neck and body are resonators, the string energy drives the woods which damp some frequencies and use that energy to emphasise the resonant frequencies. That drives the string's vibration through the bridge/nut/fretboard. It's a feedback loop.

The first Touch Guitar Invention started in 1959 with the filing of patent #2,989,884 issued in 1961 as the first touch tapping instrument which could be played on two separated necks Simultaneously by muting the strings at the distal end of the neck along with numerous other claims. Until 1974 it was known as the DuoLectar and with a new patent "the "Electronic Mute" has been known as the "Touch Guitar. It is held in the normal way over the shoulder and design with the left hand playing the lower bass neck in a traditional way and the right hand playing over the top on a neck which has a wider string spacing allowing the hand to be used in both vertical and horizontal angels to the strings. It is absolutely off at all times, until Touched or picked.

Play a classic 6120 or Duo Jet and it can seem a bit, well, old-fashioned. A growing number of players desire the brand’s looks, sound and unmatched vibe, but also want something a tad more versatile and user-friendly. Enter this latest Players Edition model with its neck set lower into the body for improved access, higher-output Filter’Tron-style humbucking pickup (Full’Trons) and a modernised Bigsby vibrato where through-stringing replaces the notorious ‘hooking the ball-end over a peg’ system that scuppered any chance of a quick change. Mate these modern tweaks with another recent innovation (for Gretsch, at any rate), the Centre Block range, and you have a guitar ready to compete with anything out there - in virtually any style.
I received a Dorado 12 string as a birthday present in the late 1990s, installed a passive pickup, and played it around the house and at small venues for fifteen years or more. For an all-laminate, smaller body 12 string with a trapeze bridge, it sounded great. The neck was comfortable, too. I had a 1965 Gibson B-25 12 for a few of those years, but the neck was way fatter than the Dorado, which I passed along to a friend in need. I can't say the Dorado sounded better than the Gibson, but it sure out-jangled it. Wish I still had it!
When buying any instrument don't buy cheap. I've been playing 5 string for 36 yrs. The most important thing in a 5 string is the tone ring with a resonator. many good brands on banjo's. I have a alverez denver belle flat top tone ring, white eagle arch top tone ring but my favorite is a honher Artist flat top tone ring. Regarding a Good acustic guitar my favorite is a martin D-35 ease of play and tone are awesome. The tone is what you are after.
In the late 1950s, various guitars in the Kay line were assigned new model numbers; according to the 1959 catalog, the Thin Twin became K5910 and the Electronic Bass became K5965.[18] Both instruments remained in Kay's catalog offerings with only minor cosmetic variations until 1966, when Kay revamped its entire guitar line to only feature budget instruments. Kay also manufactured versions of the Thin Twin guitar under the Silvertone (Sears) and Old Kraftsman (Spiegel) brands.
Some professional-grade amp heads, such as Ampeg's SVT400-PRO, have an audio crossover, an electronic filter that enables a bassist to split their bass signal into a low-pitched signal (which could be routed to a cabinet suited for low-pitched sounds, such as a 1x15" or 2x15" cabinet), and then send the middle and high-frequencies to a different cabinet suited to this register (e.g., a 2x10" or 4x10" cabinet with a horn-loaded tweeter). Amps with a crossover can either have a single crossover point pre-set at the factory (e.g., 100 Hz) or a knob is provided to enable the bassist to select the frequency where the bass signal is split into low and higher-pitched signal. The SVT400-PRO has a user-adjustable crossover knob. Amps with an adjustable crossover point can enable bassists to fine tune the sound of their bass sound. For example, in some halls, a bassist's usual crossover point may sound too "boomy" or rumbly; turning the crossover knob to send more of the low-pitched bass signal through the 2x10" cab may reduce this problem.
If the gap is perfect, congratulations – you may now move on to step 2. If the gap is too large, then you need to tighten the truss rod a little (similarly, if the gap is too small, you need to loosen the truss rod). Locate the adjustable end of the truss rod. On every Les Paul style guitar I have seen, the adjustable end of the truss rod is located under the truss rod cover, located on the peg head. To remove this, simply unscrew the two (or three) screws and lift/slide the cover off.
Electro-Harmonix’s Memory Man was one of the most popular solid-state delays ever, and even with its meager 5 to 320 milliseconds delay time was little short of revolutionary upon its introduction in 1976. At around $150, it was something of a bargain, too, though not dirt-cheap by any means—considering that at that time you could buy a new Stratocaster for just a little over three times that figure. The Memory Man was launched with Reticon SAD1024 chips, but E-H switched to quieter, better sounding and more adaptable Panasonic MN3005 ICs when these became available, and the latter is the chip found in the better-known Stereo Echo/Chorus and Deluxe models.
From what I've been able to find out (as a proud owner of a mint W-415 'Dove' model acoustic), Lyle guitars are actually Gibson seconds, that for whatever reason didn't pass muster to be sold as a Gibson (bad finish, scuff, imperfection in the wood, etc.). The Lyle company was out of Portland, OR (I believe) and was started by former Gibson employees who would fix the flawed Gibsons and resell them under the Lyle name. Made in Japan was because Gibsons were made in Japan at the time(?). A damn fine instrument; considered rare now, I guess. I don't ever want to get rid of mine!
Three acoustic guitars were offered in 1971. These were glued-neck models with roughly Martin-shaped heads and pickguards slightly larger and squarer than a Martin. All had spruce tops (presumably plywood), mahogany bodies and necks, rosewood fingerboards and dot inlays. These appear to be Japanese, not Brazilian Gianninis. The bridges are glued on, with screw-adjustable saddles and pins. The U3012 Auditorium was a Spanish-shaped steel-string and cost $89.50 plus the cost of a case. The U3013 Grand Auditorium was a dreadnought costing $105. The U3014 Twelve String cost $120.
2. Cracked peg head. Customer “fixed” with mystery glue and a wood screw. Result: Peg head and neck shaft not aligned. Fix: If the peg head can be re-broken you may be able to re-align the neck and re-glue (if it was glued with aliphatic glue you won’t be able to as the glue will not stick to itself). The joint may have to be resurfaced and new wood may have to be inserted, possibly a spline as well.

ZPS (ZERO POINT SYSTEM) OF ZR TREMOLO Main Spring Stopper Tremolo Block Stop Rod With the guitar tuned correctly, adjust the Main Spring make sure that the Stop Rod makes contact with the Tremolo Block and Stopper. If the Stop Rod does not make contact with the Tremolo Block and Stopper, adjust the Main Spring adjustment screw until contact is made.

Do you have an old guitar that requires knowing how to repair a damaged guitar body? Read on and learn some neat tricks for repairing body damage on a guitar. Body damage on a guitar ruins the acoustics. Body damage on a guitar body really make it useless in the playing arena. If you are looking to bust out that old guitar but need some handy advice on how to repair some old damage, MadeMan has the fixes for you. This article will give you the fixes for larger damage and the annoying little nicks and teach you the way to repair them.
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The Kay guitar company's origins date back to the 1890's, starting with the Groeschel Mandolin Company of Chicago, Illinois. The company's name was changed to "Stromberg-Voisinet" in 1921, and shortlyafterwards, in 1923, Henry Kay "Hank" Kuhrmeyer (the origin of the name "Kay") joined the company and quickly worked his way up to the top. By 1928, Kuhrmeyer had bought the company and that same year the company started producing electric guitars and amps.
Description: Body: Basswood (Tilia, Linden, Lime) - Body Construction: Solid - Top Wood: Basswood (Tilia, Linden, Lime) - Neck Wood: Maple - Neck Construction: 1 Piece - Fingerboard: Rosewood - Frets: 24 - Inlay: Custom - # of Strings: 6 - Headstock: 6 In-Line, Reverse - Bridge: Tremolo - Cutaway: Double - Hardware: Black - Pickup Configuration: S-H - Guitar Features: Pickguard - String Instrument Finish: Five Alarm Red, Desert Sun Yellow, Magenta, Black, White
We think the reason this book is so good is because of its readability. That is, it starts very slowly in theory, and Tom does an excellent job of explaining the constructs of music theory in simple and understandable terms. From there, the concepts are set up in such a way that is easy to follow and very thorough. Mr. Kolb did a great job of laying out the sequence of the topics to make them understandable to someone picking up a guide to music theory for the first time.
Here we have another great Yamaha Its Sound is truly WELL beyond its price point someone will be very pleased. aprox..1972-74 YAMAHA FG160 WOW! . ...This is a Gorgeous MARTIN style REPLICA and for the money compares very well to the original in quality materials used..sweet vintage SPRUCE TOP now wonderfully ambered in color from age just too cool, The Back - Sides & Neck are all made from choice AAA Mahogany just what you would expect from an expensive Martin or Gibson...only you would expect to pay much more for one of those , but this is a rare early non "Nippon Gakki" model with the Red Label from Korea.. These early issue Red Label Guitars from Korea utilize the very same materials that were made in Japan. These components were used under strict quality control and 100% assembled in Korea from the very same vintage wood - components & parts as the Japan made Yamaha's. We have had many of these Red Labeled Yamaha's in the 180's & 160's currently and over the years I see up close and in person the very high grade AA mahogany neck s sides & back & the same nice nickel tuners & hardware the very same one piece solid neck no scarf joint at the back of the headstock area like the later Korean & Chinese examples ... This era exhibits just the same just as nice woods as those Japanese big dollar players but " SOME" not all are hidden treasures and are still a real bargain today when compared to the Japanese Red Label versions or a Martin or even Japan made models of this quality...fit & finish & the materials on this guitar are very nice! This guitar does not take the back seat to the Red Label Nippon Gakki version at all. The action is very EZ to play and the TONE is simply wonderful..The Condition is very good++ to excellent vintage it is not mint,and it is not beat..it has natural minor play wear and dings associated with a well loved and played quality guitar it has all the rich patina now of a true vintage acoustic and is quite beautiful in its own right. This guitar has a good history of care its a California guitar where the climate is stable and quite favorable to guitars and was adult owned & loved. This guitar has the preferable a nice MEATY U Shaped Premium Mahogany one piece solid NECK, the frets are still good, The Rosewood is gorgeous too it looks to be Premium grade as well..You will not be disappointed with this guitar at this price the sound is rich like a an expensive $1,000+ guitar, big tone ...no repairs, structural damage..It comes with a new set of Martin strings installed ready to play out of the box. TRULY STUNNING, SEE MORE ... This baby is nice and sweet in person...very nice, , with a classic MARTIN LIKE feel & Sweet-Tone that simply is very hard to beat. The neck is STRAIGHT and the frets are fine w/plenty of life left,this baby plays real nice she stays in tune very well.. .nice workmanship & choice select materials used....You will not be disappointed with this FINE YAMAHA FG160 guitar with NICE TONE & SOUND...its a real Great Player ....This guitars condition is rated at a 8+ Very good+ or better and is very good to excellent condition only a few very minor dings can be seen. this is a real Vintage guitar" and as you can see its in Gorgeous shape!. no known problems cracks-breaks-repairs with no other known issues at all. This one is is 100% READY TO GO!!! its in very good to excellent condition a solid 8+ OR BETTER. This .

Most metal guitarists would kill to have half of the power and precision of James Hetfield’s right hand, not to mention his ability to write the most devastating riffs known to mankind, from “Seek and Destroy” and “Creeping Death” to “Enter Sandman.” Of course, most musicians with skills comparable to Hetfield’s have such big egos that they become the targets of our murderous intentions. That’s not the case with Hetfield.

“What’s the best multi-effects pedal?” is a question that comes up again and again in guitar and bass forums and discussions, and for good reason! There are a lot of multi-effect pedals out there, with prices and features varying drastically from model to model. With multi-effects pedals, it’s a little bit different than something like distortion pedals. With distortion, there might be 50 different manufacturers each making a single distortion pedal. With multi-effects, there are only around 5 major manufacturers (Zoom, Line 6, Boss, DigiTech, TC Electronic), but they each make 10 models of multi-effect pedals. This can make choosing the best one tough for beginners and advanced players alike. Luckily, we’re here to help, and after a ton of research and play testing, we’ll help you decide what the best multi-effects pedals on the market are, no matter your budget and needs.
In terms of usage, it is quite similar to the mini Strat guitar we discussed earlier. It is a great choice for someone who just wants a cheap electric guitar for practice or someone who is an absolute beginner. Also, it is one of the best choices for five to fifteen years old kids wanting to learn guitar. It comes with small ¾ sized bodies and a 22.75inch of scale length. It has a c shaped fine maple neck with its 20fret fingerboard.
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The V40 expands the elusive low-to-medium gain range, putting a wide spectrum of subtly shifting overdrive textures under your fingers. There are rotary controls for gain, EQ and master volume. The real fun starts with a two-position voice switch, which subtly changes the V40's character. Voice 1 is centred more on the early 60s 'blackface' tone; Voice 2 is edgier and a touch more aggressive, evoking the tweed amps of the 1950s. A small toggle switch called 'mid kick' adds a touch of extra gain in the midrange, not least to give weedy single coils a lift for solos. There's also a digital reverb with a front-panel level control and on/off switch. Then there's the standby switch, which has two 'on' positions for high power (approximately 40 watts) and low power (seven watts). This switch also works in the V40's single-ended mode, offering a choice of around 1.5 watts in the high-power position and 0.5 watts in the low-power setting. The V40's sonic palette made us sit up and take notice. By reducing the gain, all the mildly overdriven and chime effects normally squeezed into a fraction of the gain knob's travel now occupy the whole range. The V40 Duchess is a unique design - many of its competitors feature high-gain lead channels, teamed with high headroom and often uninspiring clean channels. By focusing on those often-overlooked but highly effective low-to-medium overdrive sounds, the V40 has effectively carved out its own niche, and looks set to become popular for blues, roots, jazz and country players.
Great guitar at this price point. Want to make it better? For so little money you can add lighter strings, a bone saddle, bone nut and pins. It's not necessary but they may help some. A bunch of small improvements put together make a big difference. What really does make a difference is having the action set up properly. Lowering it made it much easier to play for me. The finish and craftsmanship on this guitar is excellent.
Featuring a small scale neck, the Squier by Fender Mini Strat Electric Guitar comes with three single-coil electronic pickups, with solid and intuitive master volume and tone control. The neck of the guitar is made of C-shape maple wood design, whiles the rosewood fretboard holding the strings and containing dot markings is designed in a manner that makes it easy to strum.
That is not always the case with acoustic electric ones, especially with piezoelectric pickups since they pump out a relatively high amplitude signal. All you really need is a small DI box that will attenuate the signal a little, and you plug the guitar straight into a mixer. Naturally, how good this is going to sound will depend on your guitar's preamp.

While there’s still 9 more guitars to talk about on this list, you really can’t go wrong with stopping here, at the Les Paul Standard. This guitar is one of the most sought-after electrics in its price range. If you’ve ever played a Les Paul Epiphone before, you know what we’re talking about. Besides being a legendary guitar invented by the artist, inventor, and guitarist, Les Paul, this guitar also has what it takes to be legit, such as ProBucker-2™ and ProBucker-3™ pickups with coil-tapping. You can find this guitar for literally one dollar under $500 at most stores.

Speaking of session guys, we have Joe Messina, but where are his partners Robert White and Eddie Willis? Or Dennis Coffey? There’s a whole slew of great musicians whose names get forgotten but whose playing we all instantly recognise – alongside the Funk Brothers, there are the likes of Buddy Emmons and Grady Martin from the A Team, and then there’s the Wrecking Crew and the whole LA scene. Someone has already remembered Glen Campbell but how about Howard Roberts and Ted Greene? Whoa! How can you guys have neglected Barney Kessel, truly a top ten contender?
Tube amps use the height of the 1940s electronic technology to give out what is widely considered the best sound quality to date. Since some people tend to be confused by this, it’s important to note that only their sound rendering circuitry is based on vacuum tubes (or lamps) while the equalizers and assorted bits employ transistors like any other piece of modern electronics, with no bearing whatsoever on how the sound will come out.
From the low-string riff for “What Difference Does It Make?” to the deep tremolo textures and swooning string bends of “How Soon Is Now,” Marr always seemed to have the notes and the tone to suit the moment perfectly. Marr’s work has been profoundly influential to guitarists of the Nineties and beyond. Noel Gallagher of Oasis dubbed Marr “a fucking wizard,” and Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien has cited Marr as the reason he picked up a guitar. In essence, Marr is a classicist, drawing much of his approach from the guitar sounds of the Sixties British Invasion, yet deftly adapting those influences to rock and roll modernity.
The output transformer sits between the power valves and the speaker, serving to match impedance. When a transformer's ferromagnetic core becomes electromagnetically saturated a loss of inductance takes place, since the back E.M.F. is reliant on a change in flux in the core. As the core reaches saturation,the flux levels off and cannot increase any further. With no change in flux there is no back E.M.F. and hence no reflected impedance. The transformer and valve combination then generate large 3rd order harmonics. So long as the core does not go into saturation, the valves will clip naturally as they drop the available voltage across them. In single ended systems the output harmonics will be largely even ordered due to the valve's relatively non linear characteristics at large signal swings. This is only true however if the magnetic core does NOT saturate.[45]
Subtlety: You don't always have to make longer echo or delay effects obvious in the mix for them to be effective. Once you've set up the delay times and panned them to suit your song, try dropping the delay levels until you scarcely notice them during most of the mix (listening on headphones often helps set the most suitable level). This generally results in intriguing little ripples of repeats that you notice at the end of verses or during pauses, that add interest and low-level detail to the mix. Martin Walker
I remember choosing a floating tremolo equipped electric guitar as my first ever purchase, and I ended up being so frustrated at how hard it is to keep the guitar in tune and how complex string replacements were. To make the long story short, I felt relief when I traded it up for a simpler Fender Strat. These days, floating tremolos have gotten better and easier to setup, but I'd still recommend a guitar with basic stop tail piece or tremolo bridge for beginners - just so you can focus on learning the instrument and worrying about string setup when you have more experience.

Searching 'guitar' on YouTube, Google, etc can be overwhelming. Ten billion results come up. I wish we could just be nice to kids with questions. I noticed this answer mentioned "pickups" several times. Kid probably has no idea what a pickup is. My brother showed me the switches, pickups, and explained them to me in five minutes, in person on a real guitar. It was like being taught magic.

Efficiency – also called sensitivity this is measured in dB at a distance of one metre. This has more to do with how loud a speaker sounds than its power rating. A Jensen P10R, for example, is rated at 95dB; a Celestion G12 65 at 97dB and an EVM12L at 100dB. The numbers don’t look that different, but the difference in terms of perceived volume is truly staggering.

It’s little wonder that Fretboard SE is such a popular guitar book. It focuses on the practical application of learning guitar and relies less on intellectual theory. That is not to say that a guitarist attempting to improve their skills from this book won’t be challenged and introduced to a unique system. It is just to say that the system it introduces is different than you may be used to if you’ve read other books or tried learning guitar from another method. This book teaches around the "CAGED" method. That is, the book will attempt to explain the fretboard layout to you and how to navigate it by focusing on the five basic chord shapes and the root notes in those chords. As you might have guessed, the chords the method teaches are C, A, G, E, and D, thus the name. For a more detailed explanation check out this article from Premier Guitar.

Late 1934: "T" frets (aka tang frets) replace Bar frets on flat tops. (Most other guitar makers had stopped using bar frets much earlier.) Martins Hawaiian style guitars retain bar frets until at least 1938. The first Martin model to use T frets was the 00-17, introduced on a lot of 00-17 guitars #57305-57329 in 1934. Initially the first T-frets were special ordered by Martin to contain 30% nickel ("normal" fret wire is 18% nickel, 65% copper and 17% zinc). The higher percent of nickel, the harder the fret wire. This special 30% nickel fret wire was ordered from the Horton-Angell Company (the inventor and patent holder for barbed alternating "fish hook" T frets) on 8-31-1934 in an 100 pound lot, along with 100 pounds of "normal" 18% nickel fret wire. It's unclear if Martin ever used 30% nickel fret wire after this, because it was more expensive and not the norm. The same instruments also introduced the "T" neck reinforcement bar. Shortly thereafter T frets were standard. (Like with steel strings in 1922, Martin tried these innovations first on inexpensive low-end models to minimize financial damage in case the experiment was a failure.)

You might have previously dropped your jaw at another stunning performance taken from the same session in 2015 wherein Swift delivered a breathtaking piano rendition of "Out Of The Woods," and honestly, I can't help but feel that this is Swift in her natural element (probably thanks to her country music roots) and I want more of just her, her magnificent voice, and an instrument.

For strumming, I've recently been using Virtual Guitarist Iron. They have a lot of similar strum types in each preset, but different enough that you can switch between them and it almost sounds like a real guitarist if you time it right and it is easy to use. They do a power chord type of strum. I also find if you run them through something like Guitar Rig, they sound a lot better also.

Full hollow-body guitars have large, deep, fully hollow bodies and are often capable of being played at the same volume as an acoustic guitar, and therefore of being used unplugged at intimate gigs. The instrument originated during the jazz age of the 1920s and 1930s, and is still considered the classic jazz guitar, nicknamed the “jazzbox.” Like semi-hollow guitars, they often have f-shaped sound holes. Having humbucker pickups (sometimes just a neck pickup) and usually strung heavily, jazzboxes are noted for their warm, rich tone. A variation (popular in country and rockabilly) with single-coil pickups and sometimes a Bigsby tremolo has a distinctly more twangy, biting, tone than the classic jazzbox.